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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · patient · club · rock · fork · toast · leaves · lash

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. club — for dancing
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fork — in a road
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. club — for golf
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. club — a group
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com